Key-holding device.



J. P. HULDER.

KEY HOLDING DEVICE. I APPLIUATION TILT 3D KAY 6, 1909. I 944,037. Patented Dec. 21, 1909.

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ASSIGNUH 1'0 LUDNI'G 82; COMPANY, A COR- PORATION NEW YORK.

KEY-HGLDING 3 Original application filed March To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Josnrii l Human, a

citizen of the United States. and a resident of New York, county of New York, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Key-Holding Devices, of which the following is a tall. clear, and exact specification, being a division of my original application. Serial No. 484,628, filed March 20. 190$).

My invention relates to improvements in key-holding devices for self-playing keyboard instruments, particularly for that type of musical instrument known as the player piano.

The object. of my invention to provide akeyboard musical instrument with simple and etlicient pneumatically actuated means for automatically sustaining the manual keys so as to hold them in'm'iovable during the mechanical playing of such instrument.

I attain the object specified, as well as others which I have not enumerated, by means of the construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and shown in the accom uinying drawings in whichl igurc l is an elevation in section through one of the manual keys to show my improved ke v sustaining device; and Fi 2 is a detailed view of the regulating check.

Beneath the manual keys (1) of the instrument I place the sustaining pneumatics (2). I prefer to use three sustaining pneumatics spaced apart and arranged in a horizontal row under the keys, with their opening ends toward the rear of the instrument in which they are placed. The lower or immovable wall ofeach of said pneumatics is tastened to the horizontal member (4), or to any other suitablejpart ot' the t' amework. The upper or n'iovable wall. (5) is suitably secured by means of a hinge (6) to the front end of the lower wall. Each of the pnemnatics has a lever arm (7) suitably fastened to its movable wall, extending forwardly beyond its'hinge.

To holdthe keys immovably in position when the air is exhausted from the sustaining pneumatic's, I provide a supporting rod (8) which-is suitably fastened to the forward ends of the lever arms transversely thereof. This rod (8) extends longitu- Specificatlon of Le 20, 1909, Serial No. 484,628.

Serial No. 494.297.

drawings without departing from the essenten D60.,21, 1909.

and this application'filed May 6,

Divided dinally beneath all of the keys (1) near their forward ends and substantially parallel to the lower surfaces thereof. i

A regulating check (5)) is placed in each of the sustaining pneumatics. Each of these checks is provided with a threaded sl ank (10) which is screwed in the movable wall (5). By turning the heads (11) of these checks the action of the sustaining pueumatics can be adjusted to the exact rise of the rod (8) required to support and hold the keys in alinenient wheit the instrument is being pneumatically played. '65

Air connection is established between the sustaining pneumatics and the air exhaust mechanism (not shown in the drawing) by means of the tube (12) which extends through the. sustaining pneumatics and communicates with the aperture (13) formed in the lower wall of each of the pneumatics. 'lhis tube is connected, by means of any suitable airtight coupling (not shown in the drawing). with a branch pipe (14) of the main exhaust pipe (15). i

It will be understood from the foregoing description that the key-holding device does -not interfere with the manual playing of the keys, from the fact thatthere is no physical connection between any part of said device and the keys. Normally the device is entirely independentfof the keys, but when the instrument is being pneumatically played the air in the sustaining nieum'atic will be automatically exhauste thereby causing the rod (8) carried on the lever arms (7) to rise so as to abut against the under surface of the keys and hold them inunovably in position during such playing of the instrument. i

The construction and arrangement of the various parts may be modified and varied from that. illustrated in the accompanying tial features of this invention.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure byLetters Patent is'z f 1. In a pneumatic action for musical instruments the combination with the manual keys of two or more pneumatics placed under the keys and provided with air connection with the exhaust bellows, lever arms fastened to the movable walls of said pneu- Q e l-ens? matics and extending; beyond them, and a rod carried by said lcvcr arms extending longitudinally under the keys, adapted to support; said keys and to hold them imm0vable When the air is exhausted from said neumatics.

.zll a pneumatic action for musical instruments the combination with the manual keys of two or more pnounnit ics; having hinged movable and innno *ahlc Walls, placed under said keys and provided with air connection with the exhaust, bellows, lo-

ver arms fastened to the movable walls oi l said pnenmauics extei'uling forwardly heyoncl. the hinges, and carrying near their line ends a rod Which extends lougitudiinilly below the key and is adapted to support said keys and to hold them innnovablc when the air is exhausted from said neumatics. In a pneumatic action for musical instrunlcnts the combination With the manual keys of two or more pIMHlDulTlCS having hinged inovahle and innnovahlc walls, placed undcr the keys, and providcd with air connection with the cxhaujt lmllotvTa lovcr arms fastened to the nlovahlc Walls and extending beyond the hinges, regulating checks adjuut'ablo in the movable walla, and a rod carried on said lcvcr anus and cxtcnding longitudinally under all thc kcyx.

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